Harold J. Greene facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Harold J. Greene
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Greene in 2012
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| Nickname(s) | "Harry" |
| Born | February 11, 1959 Boston, Massachusetts, United States |
| Died | August 5, 2014 (aged 55) Camp Qargha, Kabul, Afghanistan |
| Buried | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Service/ |
 United States Army |
| Years of service | 1980–2014 |
| Rank | Major General |
| Commands held | Natick Soldier Systems Center |
| Battles/wars | War in Afghanistan † |
| Awards | Army Distinguished Service Medal Legion of Merit (4) Purple Heart |
| Spouse(s) | Sue Myers (wife) |
| Relations | Harold F. Greene (father) Eva May Shediak (mother) Matthew Greene (son) Amelia Greene (daughter) |
Harold Joseph "Harry" Greene (born February 11, 1959 – died August 5, 2014) was an important United States Army general. He was sadly killed while serving in the War in Afghanistan.
Throughout his career, General Greene held many leadership roles. These roles often involved engineering and making sure troops had the supplies they needed. At the time of his death, he was a deputy commanding general. This meant he helped lead the Combined Security Transition Command – Afghanistan. This group worked to train and support security forces in Afghanistan.
General Greene was a Major General. This is a very high rank in the military. He was the highest-ranking American service member killed in a hostile action since the September 11 attacks in 2001. He was also the highest-ranking American killed on foreign soil during a war since 1972. His death marked a significant loss in the ongoing Global War on Terrorism.
General Greene was killed at Camp Qargha, Afghanistan. This happened when an Afghan soldier opened fire on a group of generals and other important visitors. They were on an inspection tour. Fourteen other service members from NATO and Afghanistan were also hurt in the attack. The attacker was killed by two NATO service members. An investigation later suggested the Afghan soldier was upset about not getting leave for a holiday.
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Early Life and Education
Harold Greene was born in Boston, Massachusetts, on February 11, 1959. His parents were Eva May Shediak and Harold F. Greene. He grew up in Schenectady, New York.
He finished Guilderland High School in 1977. Then, he went to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI). He earned a bachelor's degree in materials engineering from RPI in 1980.
General Greene continued his education, earning several advanced degrees. He received a master's degree in industrial engineering from RPI. He also earned two master's degrees from the University of Southern California (USC). These were in materials engineering and mechanical engineering. In 1992, he earned his Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in materials science from USC.
His military training was also extensive. He completed courses like the Engineer Officer Basic and Advanced Courses. He also attended the United States Army Command and General Staff College. Later, he earned a Master of Strategic Studies degree from the United States Army War College.
Military Career and Service
Harold Greene began his military career in 1980. He became an engineer officer after completing the Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) program at RPI. An engineer officer helps build and maintain military structures and systems.
As he moved up in rank, General Greene had many different assignments. He served as a platoon leader and company executive officer at Fort Polk. He was a resident engineer in Athens and a project engineer in Istanbul. He also worked in Germany as a brigade engineer.
He held roles at the United States Army Aviation and Missile Command in St. Louis. He was also a product manager for a special sensor system at Fort Monmouth. Later, he became an assistant director at the U.S. Army Maneuver Support Center at Fort Leonard Wood. He was stationed at Fort Leonard Wood during the September 11 attacks in 2001.
In late 2009, General Greene was promoted to Brigadier General. He served as a deputy commanding general at the United States Army Research, Development and Engineering Command. This command works on new technologies for soldiers. He also commanded the United States Army Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center.
While at Natick, General Greene encouraged the military to use new technologies. He suggested using smartphones, video games, and virtual worlds for military training. He believed these tools could help soldiers learn better.
He was promoted to Major General in 2012. He then served as a Deputy for Acquisition and Systems Management. In January 2014, he became a deputy commander for the Combined Security Transition Command – Afghanistan. This was part of Operation Enduring Freedom – Afghanistan.
Tragic Death
On August 5, 2014, General Greene was visiting a training facility in Kabul, Afghanistan. This facility was at Camp Qargha's Marshal Fahim National Defense University. During his visit, an Afghan soldier opened fire with a rifle.
General Greene was shot and died from his injuries. About 90 other U.S. and coalition forces were also visiting the university at the time. Fourteen NATO and Afghan service members were wounded in the attack. These included a German Brigadier General, two Afghan generals, and other American and British soldiers. The Afghan soldier who fired was killed by two NATO service members.
On August 7, 2014, General Greene's body arrived back in the United States. It was flown to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware. He was laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery on August 14, 2014.
To honor his memory, the town of Natick, Massachusetts, renamed Kansas Street after him in July 2015. In September 2015, nine British servicemen who protected the group during the attack received the US Army Commendation Medal. This award recognized their bravery in saving many lives.
Personal Life
General Greene was married to Sue Myers. She is a doctor and a retired colonel from the military. She worked as a professor at the U.S. Army War College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania.
At the time of his death, she lived in Falls Church, Virginia. General Greene had two children. His daughter is Amelia Greene, and his son is Matthew Greene. Matthew Greene is also a Captain in the U.S. Army.
Awards and Decorations
General Greene received many awards for his service and bravery. These include:
- Army Distinguished Service Medal
- Legion of Merit (with three additional awards)
- Purple Heart
- Meritorious Service Medal
- Army Commendation Medal
- Army Achievement Medal
- National Defense Service Medal
- Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
- Army Service Ribbon
- Army Overseas Service Ribbon
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See also
- United States military casualties in the War in Afghanistan
- Major General Nathanael Greene
